As a real estate professional, you are likely no stranger to working at home some of the time. But in the wake of COVID-19, the work-from-home model is not business as usual. In what is very much a personal business, you now find yourself having to conduct almost every aspect of your work from home. And on top of that, there is no end date in sight. In this new reality, keeping productivity up day in and day out can be a challenge. Fortunately, there are ways to ensure that you stay productive and competitive. Read on for helpful tips.
Even though you have the freedom to work in PJs all day, don’t. The simple act of getting dressed can put you in a productive mindset. You don’t have to put on business professional attire unless you want to or need to dress the part for a video call. Go for a casual, comfortable outfit if that works better for you. The key is to feel presentable. When you do, your mind shifts into work mode.
Given, when you work from home, you have greater flexibility. And while you may be accustomed to a flexible schedule as an agent and consider it a perk, resist the urge to slack up too much when it comes to daily structure. Reinvent your routine for the new norm, and stick to it to help set the tone for the day and keep you focused and on track.
Even with a routine, it’s unrealistic to think that you won’t indulge in activities that compromise your productivity even if your workspace is distraction-free. So, rather than setting expectations you can’t meet, schedule time on your calendar to surf the web, check personal messages, do housework, watch TV, and the like. This helps you to stay focused during the rest of your day
Another good way to stay on task is to set goals and priorities and then use them to chart your progress. Make a daily to-do list and have weekly milestones. As you might expect, there are apps for that. Of course, you can always go old-school if you like and use pen and paper to make your list. Or write your goals on a sticky note and post it where you will see it every day.
Staying accountable to your goals increases your productivity, and you can hold yourself to task with commitment and an honest review of your performance. Sometimes it helps, though, to call in reinforcements. Whether you partner with one person or a group, knowing you have someone that you’ll be checking in (and celebrating successes) with can give you the extra push to follow through.
A surefire way to enhance your productivity is to boost your knowledge. Take advantage of virtual opportunities like real estate events, webinars, podcasts, and blogs. Also, consider taking an online class or two. For industry courses, we invite you to browse the comprehensive line of continuing education and broker pre-licensing courses offered by the Ben Farmer School of Real Estate.
To get better organized and increase efficiency, take full advantage of technology. The good news here is that tech for the real estate industry was ahead of the curve before COVID-19. So smartly use tech tools for communications, marketing, and business operations. Interested in specific tips? Check out our blog:
“Real Estate and COVID-19: Technology Tips to Weather the Storm.”
“Real Estate and COVID-19: Technology Tips to Weather the Storm.”
Also, thanks to technology, there are more ways than ever to stay in contact with others. It’s a given that you will check in on current and potential clients. But also make it a point to routinely keep in touch with fellow agents, team members, vendors, and others in your professional network. Doing so will keep you engaged and help you to keep business momentum going.
Whatever else you do to positively impact your productivity, make a conscious effort to avoid burnout from working all the time. As an agent, it’s common to feel pressure to always be available, whether there is a crisis or not. But keep this top of mind: a commitment to unplugging from work and taking time for self-care is good for you, your productivity, and ultimately your business
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